This. This is what we need. These are the kind of steps from which we all benefit. Google has just announced the Open Patent Non-Assertion Pledge: the company promises not to sue any users, distributors, or developers of open source products based on the patents it owns (unless first attacked).

I cannot see how in any way that Google's position on IP or IP litigation is in any way superior or more moral or more ethical than any other big tech company.

I never said they where more ethical or superior. The OP made the argument that Google is worse than MS and Apple because they released a product that directly competed with one from a small company. However, both MS and Apple has done this very exact same thing countless of times so clearly it's not a good measurement for Google being worse.